


The Cryptologist

by BlkSh2p



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Batfamily (DCU), Cassandra Cain and Jason Todd are Siblings, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Dick and Stephanie are knowing what's going on, Gen, How Do I Tag, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tim and Jason driving Bruce crazy, the cryptologist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25595629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlkSh2p/pseuds/BlkSh2p
Summary: Dick asks Stephanie, Tim and Jason for references for a self-evaluation from work. When he asks, what they think is their worst quality, comes it to some serious discoveries. Not only does Stephanie dislike Toy story, and Tim earmarks his books, but apparently Jason is one of Bruce most puzzling opponents, "The Cryptologist".After asking if he could join, Tim now helps Jason terrorizing Bruce, while Dick and Steph watch the drama going on.
Relationships: Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Comments: 2
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First, would I like to thank the amazing collectivefandomestuff from tumblr, for allowing me to write this work on basis od one of her posts. If you like this work, please go to her and tell her how amazing she is.  
> By this note, if someone could tell how to link stuff, both here and at tumblr, I would be eternal grateful.  
> Secondly, this is my first published work. While I am open for critic, I nevertheless would like to ask you the be friendly, when you do it.  
> Thirdly, if you have any idea you would like to see in this story don’t hesitate to tell me, I will try to insert it.  
> Now please enjoy 😊

“Yo, old man! Do you need the replacement this night? Because if you do, sucks to be you, he’s helping me tonight with a case.” With these words Jason leaves the kitchen, after his weekly meeting with Alfred.

“Wait, I am?” Not knowing about this appointment, Tim finally looks up from his laptop, “Wait! Jason! You can’t just tell me about this and then just disappear!!!Jason? Jason!” Just before the Main door closes Jason calls back, “Safehouse 27, 8pm. Don’t be late.” Leaving a confused Tim behind, who now has to explain to Bruce why they are working on a case together without informing him beforehand. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jason was in one of his favourite safehouses, preparing some snacks for later, when he hears a knock on his window. Looking at his watch as he cleans his hands with a kitchen towel, he sees that it is 7.45pm, and that he technically still has time to prepare the snacks. Leaving his kitchen, he sees that it’s Red Robin, who sits on his fire exit. “You are early? Thinking along the lines of the early bird catches the worm? Or in our case the criminals.” He deactivates his traps to open the window, and to let Tim in, before he closes the window again and not only activates his traps again, but also a signal jammer.

“Huh, so you didn’t only renovate all your other buildings, but this one too. Looks good.” Safehouse 27 was a half-open apartment on top of one of Jason’s buildings. His kitchen was actually just separated through a build in bar. The only doors leaving the room went to the guest bathroom, the guest room, his own sleeping room and to the stairwell.

“Make yourself comfortable, though be reminded, I already put the signal jammer on.” Jason gestured to the couches, as went back to preparing the snacks. “Yeah, okay. Wait. Signal jammer? Why did you activate a signal jammer?”

As he looks through his spices Jason answers: “You didn’t really think that I need help with one of my cases, did you? No, I asked you here to plan the next coded message as the Cryptologist. By the way how do you stand to spicy dips?” Finally finding the cumin, he turns around, to see a very confused Timothy.

“You…. You are not kidding me, right?” Complete disbelieve painted Tim’s voice, “You actually want my help with being the Cryptologist?” “Of course, why else would I invite you to my safehouse? And again, do you eat spicy food, or not?”

“Uh, yeah, if it is not too spicy. So, for what exactly do you need my help?” But Jason wasn’t answering. He only stared at Tim exasperated.

“Not too spicy, he says. How the hell should I know what is ‘not too spicy’ for you? You know what, I won’t put any spices inside the dip now. As for your help with the Cryptologist, right now I will mostly need your help as a distraction or as the executive, while I play the distraction. Though later on I would really appreciate your help with connecting my puzzles and enigmas.” Turning around Jason started to put most of his seasonings away, mixing the rest together with quark and cream.

“Oh,” dejection painted Timothy’s face. He stopped setting up his electronics to look down at his hands. “So, you don’t actually want my help….”

“What?!” letting the oven door fall open, Jason looks up shocked, “wait, stop. How the hell did you come to this conclusion? Sure, I just need your help with distractions for the next few conundrums, but only because I already have them planned out and we need to get used to each other in this new situation. I mean, normally we are rarely working together, and the scarce times we do, it’s to investigate a crime, not to have fun driving Bruce nuts. Not to forget, that I did say, that I would greatly appreciate your help with affiliating some of the problems, didn’t I?” Looking sternly, Jason waits for the smaller male’s answer.

Uncomfortable, Tim slides back and forth on his place on the couch. “Yes?” Tim’s voice wasn’t louder than a mouse’s squeak.

Nodding approvingly, Jason turns back to the still open oven door to take out the vegetable wedges he prepared. After putting everything in different bowls, he carries the snacks with their dips over to Tim. “I have prepared potato, carrot, parsnip and parsley root wedges, as well as sweet potato wedges. There are three dips, an herb quark one, a mango-lime one and a slightly spicy, tomato based one. What do you want to drink with this?”

“Ah, don’t worry, I have some energy drinks with me.” Rummaging through his bag, Tim presents Jason six cans of energy drinks. While Jason was kind of disturbed by the amount of energy drinks Tim casually carries around with him, he knew it would be a fruitless fight to convince Tim to drink something healthier. Sitting down, next to Tim, Jason opens his own laptop to show him his next riddles, while also explaining his further plan.

“You see, one of my neighbours in a different safe house have a little girl, who is in second grade. And their math teacher gave them this really interesting workbook. This workbook doesn’t only have these boring math equations, but also some mysteries every two to three pages. Though you can’t easily solve the problems, as you most often do not have all the necessary information. But you can earn yourself the information through some clues, which will bring you math equations or pictures, which are somewhere in the workbook. Even the clues are not necessarily on the same page as their corresponding mystery.”

Some mysteries are only solvable after deciphering another mystery. Even the sequence of the mysteries is not linear to the solutions. I mean, there was this one riddle on the very beginning, which was only solvable through a mystery on the very end and a clue in the middle of the workbook. And the mystery on the end was only solvable through a riddle on the page beforehand, which was solvable on its one, a second riddle in the middle of the workbook and three clues all over the place. The second riddle, too, was only solvable through some clues."

And I thought about recreating this treasure hunt with B. Of course, we wouldn’t use secondary grade mysteries, or at least not all the time. Moreover, we shouldn’t reduce our mysteries to math equations, logical riddles and search images, but also include word plays and factual knowledge, as well as geographical and motional games. What do you say?”

Speechlessly Tim was staring at the older vigilante. “You…. You really are having fun with screwing with Bruce, huh? Do you already have some ideas?” Smirking confidently, Jason leans back and starts to put some wedges on his plate, before he adds the dips on the rim. “Of course. What do you think about me? That I would present you something half-assed? Nope.” Popping the ‘p’, Jason continued. “I already have some plans, which will need your help. But then again, I first want to enact my other schemes, to see how well we can work together. Now eat, I won’t indulge you anymore until these plates are at least half finished.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first of their cooperated riddels is getting set up. And their next one is getting planned. All while Tim slowly understands, that he truly is a equal in this relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait.
> 
> I just would like to say, that if you guys have a riddle, mystery, person or really anything, you'd like to see in here don't hesitate to tell me. You can both tell me it here or at my tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/blcks2hp . As you can see I have the same name over there, too.  
> I'll try to incorporate your ideas but can't promise anything.

It was roughly a week later, when they tried their new partnership out. Jason already brought all the necessary supplies to the cryptologist’s next ‘attack’ location, an European clothes shop called “Angel’s” in the richer parts of Gotham. He even went out in daytime to prepare the wall, where their new message will be, so that everything would be ready, and Batman can’t trace it back to him. Tonight he will reluctantly ask for a team up with Nightwing, seeing as there is a new drug on the streets with big ties to Blüdhaven, while Tim is supposed to stay at his apartment to prepare for an important meeting with a big, Asian cooperation.

Honestly Jason doesn’t really know the details, just that Bruce wants to have a merger with them, and that Tim, once again, has to create it. Why Tim still tries to fulfil all of Bruce’s demands, Jason doesn’t know, but as long as the younger one doesn’t decimate his own health, he doesn’t care. Not to forget, Tim is already prepared for this meeting, and will actually use this evening to burn their riddle into the wall.

Suiting up, Jason once again checks the information he had gathered about the new drug, before he made his way across the city to meet up with the other bats in the cave. “Little Wing,” Dick exclaims, “You are here! In the cave!” Jumping up, and leaving half of his costume behind, the acrobat runs to the parking space to hug the younger vigilante. Not being able to evade the hug, Jason decides to indulge his brother and to allow the hug to continue for a while.

“Tt, Are you blind, Grayson? Of course, he is here. Can’t you see him?” Damian’s snobbish voice easily carried in the cave. Squirming out of Dick’s hug, Jason acknowledges him with a nod, as he moves to the monitor to greet Bruce.

“Hey, old man. I’m borrowing big bird for a while, kay?” As Jason arrives at the Batcomputer, he pulls out a beige coloured file and throws it at the table. “There’s a new drug circulating in my territory. Coming from Blüdhaven so, I’d like to use Dickie’s expertise to round them up.”

Silence spread through the cave, as everyone present turned surprised to Jason. “You…You actually want my help, little wing?” Breathlessly Dick staggers forward. “You drove here to actually ask for my help?” Smiling, he opens his arms to hug his little brother again, though sadly the younger vigilante easily out steps him.

“Uuuhhh, first of all I do **not** want your help. It’d only be easier and faster if we cooperate. And the faster we destroy the drug ring, the faster I can actually start helping the people. Secondly, why are all of you acting so surprised? This isn’t the first nor second time, that I’ve asked for help. Thirdly would you guys stop being so overdramatic, I want this case to be solved as fast as possible.”

Dejected Dick lets his arms fall. “We know, we know. It’s just, you so rarely ask for **our** help. You’re so independent, and if you need assistance you normally ask your team, not us. Even if the problem is Gotham located. I was just so happy to spend time with my little brother. Now come on, little Wing, show us your data. There’re criminals to catch.”

With a smile not reaching his eyes, Dick takes a seat next to Jason. Mumbling under his breath Jason opens the file and presents it to his older brother. “Here. As I said, there’s a new drug going around in Crime Alley and the Narrows. My research’s shown that a new gang’s been trying to get a foothold in Gotham. They’re originally from Blüdhaven, if we can destroy their activity here, it could be a big blow against their activity in Blüdhaven, too.

There’s supposed to be a new shipment coming tomorrow. A really big shipment. I’d like to do a stake out today, to gather some more information, so that we can bust them tomorrow. The shipment, as usual, arrives at the Harbour. Normally they transfer their merchandise to warehouse 20 and 23. While we can do Recon just us two, I’d like some help tomorrow.”

“How many?” Bruce growls as he looks at the map.

“At least two more. One more heavy hitter with Dick, and one more light-footed person with me. Though it’d be reasonable if some more people standby.” Jason's answer comes promptly, showing how much time he has spent to come up with the perfect plan. Or as perfect as they can be.

Nodding, Bruce moves away to prepare himself for his own night. Dick and Jason continue to plan their stake out. Only after the others have already left for at least half an hour, do they finish and move out on their own.

While Jason is occupying Dick and therefore the rest of the bat family, Tim is already on the move to burn their riddle into the wall. After confirming that Jason did prepare the wall as he promised, Tim begins to write the message with a special alcohol on the wall. It has taken Tim quite some time to produce enough of the alcohol, especially since Bruce wasn’t supposed to notice.

_UQDTID REGGMDJDQ NMDSSDQUTJCDJ,_

_SMEGSDQ KTR DFYRATH,_

_WAQ LDSQDSDJ UDTDQSQTJCDJ,_

_GAHHFAREGD, IDAJ GDAFANSTH._

_IDAJD ZKTLDQ LADJIDJ WADIDQ,_

_WKR IAD HMID RSQDJN NDSDAFS,_

_KFFD HDJREGDJ WDQIDJ LQTDIDQ,_

_WM IDAS RKJUSDQ UFTDNDF WDAFS._

As Tim finishes to write the riddle on the wall, he gets a notification from Jason. His Partner in crime just arrived in the cave, he will try to hold the bats back as much as possible, but he can’t be too exaggerating, so Tim better hurry up. Immediately Tim puts his earpiece in and changes his operation modus to one he himself has created. It allows him to listen to the chatter of the active patrol members, while none them know that he can listen to them. Not even the great Oracle has discovered him on his other rest nights.

Looking into the container with the special alcohol, he realizes that he hasn’t even used one half of it. As no one has started their patrol yet, Tim decides to draw another layer on the first one. Following the contours, he is remarkably faster than before. He is already on the last line, when Batman and Robin start their patrol. While they are the first one to patrol and the others will surely follow, their route brings them to the opposite side of Gotham.

Relaxed Tim finishes the second layer and even begins to add a third one. As he no longer concentrates himself on writing the riddle, but listens intensively to the comms, his writing speed slows down again. When he’s in the middle of the second line, Batwoman joins the patrol, on the beginning of the second verse Black Bat also leaves the cave. He only has the last two lines left, when Stephanie starts her patrol as Batgirl.

While she and Dick already know about the true identity of the cryptologist, Jason and Tim have decided to leave them out of their conundrums as much as possible. Since Batgirl’s route also brings her pretty close to the boutique, Tim packs up his writing utensils and lights up the alcohol.

The fire speedily burns itself into the wall and leaves their beautiful message clearly visible. Tim promptly climbs up a close by fire escape to get to the roof. Taking out one of his cameras, he photographs the glimmering letters. While his angle wasn’t the best, the contradiction of the nearly black wall in the night and the slowly burning letters was mesmerizing.

Normally the streets in the richer parts of Gotham are pretty good illuminated, but their mystery was written on a wall of a small side street, which ended as a blind alley. This kind of street was even in the richer parts of Gotham underfunded, as such there were no streetlamps to lighten the area. Tim himself used his night vision lenses to write the letters.

It was only after Batgirl nearly discovered him, that Tim secretly moved back to his apartment. There he sent Jason a notification before he readied himself for his bed.

It was roughly a week later, when the two could meet up without rising suspicion. After the discovery of their work, Bruce put everyone at highest alert, meaning for a whole week none of them were allowed to move around alone. Seeing as both B and Tim work at WE, it was only logically that they teamed up. Just as logical as the team up from Damian and Duke, who both still went to school, and Babs and Dick, both of them working at the GCPD nowadays. The only problem came up, when Steph and Cass wanted to stay together, but Bruce thought it to attention grabbing if the (officially) sole female member of the Wayne family accompanies a ‘normal’ student for a while. After a short fight, it was decided that Jason would escort Steph to university, while Cass stayed at home with Alfred. All of them were forced to sleep at the manor, even those, who normally sleep elsewhere.

While all of the were stuck at the manor, Tim and Jason, both tried to inconspicuously find out how far Bruce newest investigation with ‘the cryptologist’ went. No chance. Bruce tries to steer the two away, Jason because the cryptologist is a “unpredictable and highly dangerous” individual, and Tim because he once again tries to parent him and wants to install a healthier lifestyle into Tim. Of course, this doesn’t happen, after all even Alfred couldn’t install a basic amount of self-care, so why should Bruce be able to do it. But he tries at least.

After a whole week, where everyone was at the mansion, Bruce finally allowed them to go their separate ways again. The fights and chaos followed by a full house, were apparently too much for his nerves, though they were instructed to stay together. Because of this Bruce still picks up Tim every morning to go to WE, while Jason still accompanies Steph to university. Though seeing as Tim and Jason went to live at the apartment and Babs and Stephanie also left the mansion, it was clearly calmer again.

“Ya know, Timbo, the old man’s instruction to stay together reeeaaaally plays into our hands. For a while, we no longer have to have secret meetings, while trying to be inconspicuous.” Putting down the knife, he just cleaned, Jason leans back. In front of him is an arsenal of different weapons, he just cleaned or which he still has to clean.

Shocked Tim looks up from his laptop. “JAY!! What are you talking about?! We’d never meet up privily!!” Tim desperately tries to shush Jason with his angry stare alone.

Laughing into Tim’s annoyed face, Jason smirks, “Ya don’t really think, that B still has his cameras and microphones set up here, do ya? The first thing I did, when I moved in was to destroy his spy ware. And each time after you guys’ve left for work, I wipe this place again. You can say whatever you want, the old man won’t know.”

Relaxing, Tim starts thinking. “Well, if that’s the case. Is there a reason why we only wrote the first two verses from ‘Ode to joy’ on the wall and not the full poem? Will we ever turn the other two verses into a riddle, too?” Putting his computer away to pay full attention to his older brother, Tim sits up.

Jason puts down the gun he was cleaning right now and starts contemplating. “Mmmmmmhhh, I’m not sure. I mean, I didn’t want the second part put up, because of time and place issues. And I’dn’t have used the code to encrypt it. But then again, seeing as most people don’t even know the last two verses, it’d certainly be a bigger challenge. If ya want to use the second half, it’s up for ya to find a suitable code, place and written form.” Picking the gun up again, he continues, “between it’s already late. What do ya say about some sandwiches for dinner?”

“Really, you’d allow me to continue on your riddles?” Tim immediately peaks up. His eyes are glistering excitedly. “As for the sandwiches, what’ll be on them?”

“Of course, I’ll allow you to continue it. Remember we’re partners now. Equal partners. As for the sandwiches…. How does tomato sauce spread on brown bread load with cheese, lettuce, cucumber and maybe fried egg sound?”

“Yum, sounds good.” The younger male takes up his laptop again and slouches over the couch. “Besides I’ve found the perfect location for our next mystery.”

After he finishes cleaning his gun, Jason stands up to go to the kitchen and prepare the food. “Do you mean Code Phenicia?”

“Yep, the ‘C Building’ does sound nice, doesn’t it?” Tim is smirking, as he stares at the map of Gotham in front of him. The light of the screen casting his face into an evil light.

Jason is already putting the eggs and the bread into a pan, to fry them. His voice, too, has a mischievous glint. “The ‘C Building’ sounds perfect.”


End file.
